Ready, Willing, and Sableye!
Plot As Brock is preparing sandwiches for the group, Ash asks him what kind of sandwiches they are. The others' Pokémon are all out of their Poké Balls, anticipating the lunch. Brock asks everyone to be patient before noticing Corphish, and asks how it would feel if it would help him with the salad. Corphish responds happily, jumping onto the table. Brock instructs Corphish to start by cutting the vegetables. Corphish slices a root vegetable perfectly before flinging out its pincer and dicing bulbs into a fine powder. Ash remarks that Corphish is really good at slicing, and Corphish scuttles over to the sandwiches. Alarmed, May tells Corphish not to slice the sandwiches, but Corphish goes onto dice the sandwiches into crumbs. Brock nervously tells the group to dig in. Everyone spoons their meals into their mouths, but are particularly glum about it. Ash addresses Corphish sternly, claiming that it is all its fault and that he hopes that Corphish at least feels bad about it. Corphish snaps its pincers and appears happy regardless. Max concludes that from the looks of that happy expression the answer is a big no. Ash closes his eyes in exasperation and says that he has to do something about Corphish's attitude fast. Team Rocket approaches an abandoned mine, which James reveals that it was once a gold mine. Jessie is thrilled by the potential mountain of treasure and laughs as she imagines herself surrounded by gold bricks. James clarifies that the mine has not been operational for years, but Jessie reminds him that finding gold will get them a big promotion from the Boss. With James now on board with the plot, the trio begin searching the mine for gold veins. They find a mining cart and use it to travel deeper into the abandoned mine. Everyone is becoming increasingly nervous by the pitch darkness. As they see two shining, eye-like points of light and a toothy grin in the distance, Team Rocket becomes thoroughly frightened. James hastily pulls on the brake with the sharp stop, incidentally throwing Meowth out of the trolley. The smiling figure approaches them, so James places the mechanism into reverse. As Jessie and James roll backwards, Meowth finds himself alone. The apparition leaps down from the ceiling to stand in front of Meowth, and Meowth looks at it. Meowth screams, erratically attempting to run away before tripping and apparently fainting. The mysterious figure, a Sableye, pokes at Meowth twice before scratching its head in befuddlement. Jessie and James, now outside of the mine, poke their heads out and realize Meowth is missing. Ash's voice is heard, and Jessie and James turn toward the group. Seeing that they are approaching, Jessie and James clamber out of the trolley, with Wobbuffet comically falling before scampering after them. May asks Max that he heard the place used to be a real gold mine. Max replies that he is pretty sure, admitting that the PokéNav does not have any information on it at all. Brock states that it looks to him that the mine has been abandoned for a really long time. After finding that the lights still work, Ash explains to the others that it is in awesome place to test their courage, however his friends are reluctant. Ash explains that it is part of training, and that he thinks it is important to put a good scare into Corphish to calm it down. Ash assures them that it will indeed work, and explains the plot by secretively whispering it to them. Cheerfully, May remarks that she thinks Ash's plan will actually work, and asks Max if he is coming too, which he does. Hiding behind a stack of crates, Jessie and James overhear the group's plan. Jessie sees the mine adventure as an opportunity to nab Pikachu. James, however, adds that although they may be twerps, he thinks they should warn them about the Ghosts. Wobbuffet loudly concurs with Jessie, and quickly Jessie and James nervously cover his mouth to avoid being discovered. May and Max enter the mine in a trolley. May explains all they have to do then is dress up as ghosts and scare Corphish. May bends over and procures a white sheet, presenting it to Max, who remains skeptical of the ploy. Meanwhile, Meowth awakes in the mine control room with Sableye standing over him. Meowth, frightened, frantically states that he will do anything before he recognizes the apparition, asking if it is a Sableye. Sableye explains the situation to Meowth, and Meowth translates that Sableye likes to scare humans and does not mean any harm. Sableye affirms Meowth's comments and brings out a rock, crunching part of it with its sharp teeth. Meowth admits that he has not eaten all day, so Sableye offers it to him, but Meowth quickly realizes it’s a rock. Noting Sableye's laughter, Meowth demands that Sableye get over it and that it was not that funny. Meowth realizes that Sableye is simply wanting company and queries where he is. Sableye answers that they’re standing in the mine control room, when Meowth notices the surveillance screens showing May and Max huddled in a mine cart. Sableye then invites Meowth to scare the twerps for good. Meowth considers his options and agrees to join Sableye in the hopes of getting all of the gold treasure for himself. Ash walks along the rail track, wondering if May and Max are ready to go. Ash sends out Corphish, who belligerently raises its pincers. Ash assures Corphish that it is not battling this time and will instead be testing its courage, and Corphish appears to be disappointed. He warns Corphish to better watch its attitude, and informs it that there are ghosts in the mine. A wailing sound is heard, and Ash says that it sounds like there is one now. Corphish appears frightened, erratically moving its pincers in a frantic manner. May and Max soon appear from behind the nearby mine cart and approach Corphish disguised as a ghost. As Corphish is seemingly paralyzed in fear, Ash chuckles to himself that the plan is working. Unexpectedly, however, the entire plan goes wrong when Corphish panics and launches itself at the apparent "ghost", knocking away the cloth and revealing May and Max. May, staggering from the impact, promptly trips, causing her and Max to topple into the trolley. Furious that it has been tricked, Corphish charges at the trolley, sending May and Max further into the mine. Ash blurts out in vain for Corphish to stop, still claiming that they were just "testing its courage". Ash orders Corphish to come back, but it ignores his pleas and storms off in another direction. Further inside the mine, in the trolley, Max sarcastically asks May if it their experience was a "real blast". May, apparently regretting that she acted before she thought, nervously states that she did not know that Corphish would attack them. The two hear a sound, and Sableye, with its eyes gleaming, appears on the rim of the trolley. May and Max are frightened and scream as Sableye reveals its sharp teeth. Max eventually realizes what the perceived ghost is, and assures May that it is only a Sableye. Sableye leaps upward, hanging onto the ceiling. May brings out her Pokédex to learn more about Sableye. Max and May are irritated that Sableye deliberately frightened them. May orders out Torchic to teach Sableye a lesson with Ember. Sableye dodges the attack by crawling on the ceiling before leaping down and using Lick on Torchic. May is distraught as Torchic is getting dizzy, so she recalls it back its Poké Ball. Meowth soon joins Sableye, and with a remote in hand he promptly ensnares the siblings in a drop net. The captives demand to be released as Meowth and Sableye laugh at their predicament. Outside the mine, Ash reports to Brock that his grand scheme failed after Corphish found out that May and Max were pretending to be ghosts. After realizing the siblings have still not emerged from the mine, Brock and Ash decide they better search for them. As they enter, Meowth spots them on the surveillance system. Meowth assures Sableye that they’re the best of friends and that they will have fun scaring some more people. Sableye nods, so the pair leave to frighten their next victims. In a net hung from the ceiling, May curiously says that Meowth and Sableye are best friends. Max suggests that Meowth is just tricking Sableye into helping, adding that they should help the Sableye. Corphish angrily scuttles alongside Ash and Brock. Ash asks Corphish how long it is going to stay mad, and reminds it that it was partly at fault for May and Max's disappearances. Angrily, Corphish raises its pincers in the air as it mutters rapidly. Brock states awkwardly that he is not sure that it needed to point that out. Suddenly they spot a trolley ahead on the track and Ash suggests May and Max might be there. Corphish appears frightened of the approaching trolley, and as it slowly comes to a stop Ash and Brock investigate its contents. However they are disappointed to find the cart is empty. With Ash distracted, Sableye lowers itself from the ceiling and licks Ash's neck. Ash is startled, and asks Pikachu if it was him. Pikachu shakes his head to say no, which leaves Ash confused. They soon hear a voice, and in a frightened manner attempt to locate its source. Ash asks if anyone heard that, and Brock comments to Ash that he has the weirdest feeling someone is watching them. Sableye lowers itself from the ceiling and licks Brock’s neck, instantly startling him. Behind Corphish, Meowth, in a black garment and veil, slaps Corphish with a fan. Corphish turns around, but does not find anyone. Ash asks what Brock thinks is in there with them, and Corphish erratically waves its pincers and exclaims repeatedly. Ash asks Corphish what is wrong, and Corphish gives Ash a stern expression before tackling him. Ash defensively asks Corphish what that was for, and Corphish snaps its pincers angrily. Pikachu jumps in front of Ash to defend him, but Corphish slams Pikachu aside. Brock orders Corphish to knock it off. May and Max watch the scene from a computer monitor in the control room, but feel helpless to intervene. May says she knows and brings out Torchic. Torchic, upon materializing, is still frightened. Max states that it looks like Torchic has not recovered from its earlier battle. May gently asks Torchic to use Ember to burn through the net, roughly releasing May and Max. May thanks Torchic, and tells that it can go inside its Poké Ball and rest again, recalling it. Max reminds May that they should hurry and go help, so they rush over to warn Ash and Brock. The situation has escalated as Pikachu launches an attack at Corphish, but Corphish leaps to evade it. Corphish aims a Bubble Beam at Pikachu, but Pikachu jumps over it. The pair confront each other, with Pikachu's cheeks sparking from the tension. As Ash commands both Pikachu and Corphish to stop, Meowth fires a net and successfully captures the two Pokémon. A burst of laughter alerts Ash and Brock to the culprits, Meowth accompanied by a Sableye. As Meowth declares that he and Sableye are best friends, the siblings roll in on a mining cart. May declares Meowth’s statement is a lie and informs Sableye that Meowth is just manipulating it. Sableye turns to Meowth, and Meowth quickly attempts to defend himself and orders Sableye to take care of them. Sableye looks doubtful, holds its head in its hands from confusion. Suddenly Jessie's voice is heard, and Meowth, Sableye, Ash, and Brock turn to identify the voice, Ash asking who it is. Jessie and James roll into view aboard another mine cart as they recite their motto. Afterwards, James congratulates Meowth on the good work as Jessie grabs the net with Pikachu and Corphish in it. Meowth announces that the jig is up and leaps into the cart with his teammates. As the reunited Team Rocket wheel away, Sableye remains behind as it fumes angrily. Ash calls on Taillow, who quickly catches up to Team Rocket. In retaliation for pecking at her hair, Jessie throws out a bomb. The explosion causes the cave ceiling to crack and a rock fall. Sableye points towards a direction inside the mine and urges them to follow, so the group follows after it. Team Rocket are sprawled on the ground, safely outside the cave. Jessie remarks that it was close, but James reminds her that she was the one who sent out the shock wave in the first place. Meowth remorsefully remarks that he feels bad, tricking Sableye like he did. As Jessie and James mull over who is to blame, Ash asserts that it was their fault as he and the others stand on top of the rocky ledge of the mountain's entrance. Corphish and Pikachu are cheered at his appearance and call out happily. Surprised, Jessie acknowledges the twerps and James adds that they are safe. More cheerfully, Meowth comments that Sableye is okay too. Ash exclaims that they are safe but no thanks to them, and that Sableye helped them. Sableye angrily shouts at Team Rocket, and James requests Meowth to translate, which reveals that Sableye is set on getting even for having its favorite place to play now destroyed. Ash commands Sableye to help Pikachu and Corphish, and Sableye leaps down, swiping the net and released captive pair. Ash orders Corphish to use Crabhammer and Pikachu to use Iron Tail. Corphish and Pikachu both do so, slamming into Team Rocket. Sableye then uses Night Shade on Team Rocket, causing an explosion and sending Team Rocket blasting off. Afterwards, Ash states that he is glad everyone is safe. As Brock credits Sableye, Pikachu and Corphish enthusiastically thank it for its help. May then brings up the possibility that maybe now Corphish will settle down a little bit more. Sableye says goodbye to Pikachu and Corphish, climbing on top of the ridge and waving towards the group.